Portugal Opens Citizenship Pathway for 1 Category of Foreigners, Sets Key Condition
- Portugal's president signed a decree on August 7, 2026, establishing a formal procedure for recognising stateless persons in the country
- Applicants who begin the statelessness process will receive a 6-month renewable residence permit while their case is being decided
- The Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) will handle all statelessness recognition applications under the new law
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Portugal has created a new legal pathway for stateless people living in the country, after the president signed a decree on August 7, 2026, establishing a formal procedure to recognise statelessness status.
Under the new framework, any person who applies to begin the statelessness determination process will be issued a six-month residence permit for the duration of their case.
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This permit is renewable and remains valid until a final decision is reached.
Portuguese citizenship: What stateless persons will receive
Those who are formally recognised as stateless will receive a two-year residence permit, which can be renewed. The permit grants the holder the right to work legally in Portugal and access public services, including healthcare and education.
The key requirement under the law is initiating the formal determination procedure through the designated authority. Only applicants who go through this process and are officially recognised as stateless become eligible for the residence and work rights the law provides.
Portuguese citizenship: Who handles the process?
The responsibility for assessing and deciding statelessness applications falls under the Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA).
The agency will manage the proceedings from application through to a final determination.
Stateless persons are individuals who are not recognised as nationals by any country under the operation of its law. Without formal status in any state, they often face barriers to work, healthcare, education, and legal protection.
Portugal's new law aims to address this gap by creating a clear and structured route to recognition, along with defined rights for those whose claims succeed.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Portugal shared how long foreigners must reside in the country before seeking citizenship.
Portugal increases citizenship wait period for certain countries
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Portugal raised the wait period for citizenship to 10 years for citizens of certain countries.
The revised rules were introduced through Organic Law No. 1/2026, published in Portugal's Official Gazette on May 18, and apply only to applications submitted after the law came into force.
Pending applications continue to be assessed under the previous rules.
Source: Legit.ng
